Stakeholder Design Consultation for the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development Initiative

Representatives from governments, major groups, civil society organizations (CSOs) and Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), are to participate in a Stakeholder Design Consultation for the Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) Initiative in Rome.

FAO, as the Task Manager of Chapter 14 of Agenda 21: Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (SARD) and as facilitator of the "civil society, inter-government organization and government supported SARD Initiative", is organizing the Side Event during the 17th Committee on Agriculture meeting, 31 March - 4 April 2003, at FAO headquarters.

Participants will refine the design, objectives, outcomes and mechanisms of the Initiative, which will contribute towards building community capacity to effect the transition to SARD and to strengthening the capacity of disadvantaged and marginalised groups to participate more effectively in policy dialogue and implementation.

The Consultation will continue the progress made since the launch of the SARD Initiative at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, where 65 Governments and Civil Society Organizations from 55 countries expressed their interest in the SARD Initiative.

For more information about SARD and the SARD Initiative please click here

To read a UN System Network interview with the Task Manager of Chapter 14 please click here.